Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation: Waubonsie State Park Addition

The former camp Wa-Shantee fills most of this vintage postcard. Waubonsie State Park's then-boundary cut diagonally across the top left corner of this picture, splitting ownershipon several ridges. By adding Wa-Shawtee to the state park, the Iowa DNR will be able to provide more comprehensive land stewardship for these prairie-topped ridges and other natural features. Meanwhile, the former camp's buildings, trails, and other amenities can be refurbished for public use. Its proximity to I-29 and three states (Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska) give it a great potential tourist draw.

After years of relentless determination and hard work, Waubonsie State Park is 52 percent bigger. This park is located in Fremont County, Iowa’s southwest corner.

The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF), a private landowner, Iowa’s legislature and others helped the Iowa Department of Natural Resources acquire the 646-acre Wa-Shawtee addition. The site contains prairie-topped ridges, steep valleys and an entire camp complex.

“This is the most significant addition to Iowa’s state park system in a generation,” said Kevin Szcodronski, chief of the IDNR state park bureau. “The addition benefits the park, boosts the local economy and protects a large portion of Iowa’s natural resources.”

The Girl Scouts once operated Camp Wa-Shawtee here, but they recently closed the camp and sold the site to Edd Marshall of rural Silver City. He placed it back on the market in 2003.

Since that time, INHF has spent hundreds of staff hours and thousands of dollars to permanently protect the site’s resources. INHF helped with negotiations, fundraising and countless technical details.

Meanwhile, Marshall—believing the area should be used for “the folks, families and kids”—rebuffed significantly higher offers from developers so that the state might attain it instead. Marshall also donated 65 acres of this site to a non-profit organization, Hole in the Hills at Wa-Shawtee, for use as a camp for children with life-threatening diseases.

Success came this fall when the IDNR purchased the addition for $2.1 million—using a $1.5 million special appropriation from the Iowa Legislature and $1 million from the Iowa Values Fund, through the Department of Economic Development.

The 646-acre Wa-Shawtee Addition expanded Waubonsie State Park by 52 percent. INHF has been working toward this addition for several years.

Waubonsie State Park is located in Iowa’s Loess Hills, which hug Iowa’s western border. Both beautiful and fragile, these hills contain some of the highest erosion rates in the United States along with several endangered plant and animal species.

Wa-Shawtee constitutes approximately 17 percent of the Waubonsie Special Landscape Area, one of 12 Loess Hills regions prioritized for protection by the National Park Service. With this purchase, 39 percent of this Special Landscape Area is now protected.

“Seldom have we had the opportunity to expand a state park with such a significant addition,” said Mark Ackelson, INHF president. “This project has been one of our major priorites for several years, so it’s great to finally see that hard work pay off.”

The camp itself is nestled in one of the Loess Hills’ valleys and will add more scenic nature trails and spectacular views to the state park as well as a seven-acre lake, indoor pool, nature center and lodge. Its 11 cabin-style buildings may be refurbished as rental cabins.

“The diversity of facilities and infrastructure of the new addition is really going to be a big draw to Waubonsie. The additional recreation offerings, year-round overnight accommodations, larger trail system and event rental lodge will really benefit the local economy and attract tourists,” said Ackelson.

Currently the state park has 70,000 visitor days annually. The new water features and other amenities are expected to double that number. The initial economic impact from the expanded park is estimated at $1.8 million.

“The Foundation was created to tackle just this sort of project—where great natural resources are at risk,” said Ackelson. “We are thankful to our members and volunteers for making it possible to protect this special slice of Iowa's Loess Hills."

For more information check out the Iowa DNR news release for the Waubonsie addition

INHF spearheads state park addition